A Good Night's Rest?

I often fool myself into believing that I have had a good night's rest. Lately I wake at least 2-3 times during the night. First I lay semi-awake, open my eyes and gaze into the darkness. Then I roll over and look at the red-eyed demon that displays the time.
With a groan I roll out of bed and make my way to the bathroom. My task is quickly done and I rush back to the comfort of my bed before the voices in my head can take over. I then punch and fluff my feather pillow, lay my head down, lift the pillow up and fluff it again. Once I find the best spot to lay my head, I focus on drifting back to sleep.
Two and a half hours later, I find myself gazing at the red-eyed demon again. Ugh. This time the blankets get tossed aside and I stomp off to the bathroom. The voices are starting to invade my head. I close my eyes in hopes that the voices will think I am sleeping and leave me alone. Once back in bed I turn and open the window a bit more and breathe in the night air. I fall back asleep.
A few short hours later my eyes are open again. With bloodshot eyes I turn my head to see the time. It is 5:30 a.m., the birds are starting to sing, and I still have a half hour before I have to get hubby up! Damn birds.
So, I lay in bed, shut the curtains, close my eyes and "think" about going back to sleep. Not a chance. As the darkness of the night turns to the light of morning, my senses become fully awake and no more sleep is to be had.
Rise and shine?

I got insomnia over 40 years ago when I was still at school, I think I had a bad dose of flu just befor it happened, and was on sleeping tablets for a while. I've never really slept well since then, waking several time during the night, and my brain always seems very active as well. I read somewhere that sleeping in a North South direction helps, but I can't remember if your feet or head should be pointing North, one way is better than the other. It is due to the coriolous effect, because the body is around 80% water, its actually affected by the moon the way that tides are.

At least you know which way you are sleeping, I was on holiday in Cornwall, and had the best sleep I've had in years, actually didn't wake up till 8 a.m. 2 or 3 mornings.
I've also tried sleep hypnosis tapes (wife hates them and won't let me play them), and relaxing tapes (wife finds them too repetitive and won't let me play them), but I do use the relaxing tapes during the day, after I've been on call overnight and find they help slightly.

This sounds like me here lately. I used to never have a problem sleeping. Now I get up at least 3 times a night to go use the bathroom. Maybe if I quit drinking so much during the day I wouldn't have to go as much. LOL And each time I look at the clock thinking why couldn't I have just slept until it was time to get up and get ready. Then I have a hard time falling back asleep and I swear it feels like as soon as I get back to sleep the alarm goes off to tell me it's time to get up. Then I'm so sleepy I don't want to get up. It drives me crazy!!

It sounds like you have a lot on your mind and this is your problem . This happens to me as well at night and I never feel like I have enough sleep and then I am tired all day and can't wait for night to come so I can get some sleep but when the time comes , I can't sleep as the thought in my head seem to take over and keep me awake . My doctor said this is due to stress and anxiety and that I could take something for this and it would help but I am not willing to take anything as I feel I can overcome this on my own somehow and the thought of having to take something else on top of what I am already taking is not acceptable to me but maybe if you were willing , you could bring it up to your doctor . It sounds like you have a lot of problems that you are trying to work out and it is all coming to a head when you try to sleep at night , thus keeping you awake and not getting the rest you deserve and need each night . I wish I had more to offer to make you feel better . Take Care .

I can relate to what you're saying, elusivebutterfly. I have suffered with insomnia for as long as I can remember. I find that when I exercise more and drink caffeine less, my sleep patterns improve. Believe me, it's not always easy for me to find the motivation to exercise and NOT drink caffeine-laden beverages. What I try to do is focus on the benefits of getting a good night's sleep. I just feel so much better and am much more alert. I think of that whenever I feel like shrugging off exercising or am tempted to quaff a bottle of Pepsi.

I find that if I go to bed earlier, then it helps. If I wait until midnight, then I am way too tired to sleep. Also I have to make sure that I do not have to get up to go to the washroom and that is to make sure that my bladder stretches. So what I do is to gradually increase my water intake so that it feels fuller later in the night. Another thing, once I have gone to the washroom, I go back to bed. I do not open the window to get in a little night air. The time you should open the window is when you are going to bed, not at three in the morning. In that way, those blasted birds will not be bothering you because you are used to the night noises and can sleep right through them.

I really hate to have my sleep interrupted, Elusive. Try not to take your worries and cares to bed with you. Maybe, if you take a few minutes for some quiet meditation just before going to bed, it will help to relax your mind.

Well i could recommend a few things that may help. One dont eat or drink at least 3 hrs before bedtime, and that goes for exercise too. Use a fan a regular box fan set on med, to drown out outside noises. Dont let the dog on the bed, that is a big no no for me. Dont share covers with your husband, each of you have your own. Try taking two tylenol 1 hr before bedtime, i have a lot of patients that swear it helps them to relax. I personally take 1 tylenol pm almost every night when i go to bed. It is just enough to make me drowsy enough to fall asleep without the brain taking over.

I have the same problem. The sad thing about this is you are tired all day. I started having this problem about 2 or 3 years ago, and it's something I can't shake. Last night, I had one of those night, and my grandson came over today so I could not even lay down for a minute.

Hi Elusive :)
I was sorry to hear you are not sleeping well. Although your sotry made it entertaining. :)
How long has this been going on? Maybe it's just from stress and will stop when stressors do. (as if stressors ever stop) I know when I can;t sleep and it goes on for more than a few days I turn into another person who tends to bite even if someone says Hi to me.
Hope you're sleeping better soon!

usually,i can have a good night's rest,but lately,i've been in trouble getting sleep.first,i don't feel sleepy even it is already 12 in the midnight,then when i turn off the lights,and prepare to sleep,i just feel awake,and a lot of things come into my minds,family,love,work,friends......so many things,i can not remove them.i don't know how long it takes to fall asleep,but i know,all night long, i have dreams,one by one,sometime they are terrible.morning comes,and my alarm clock sounds,what a exausted night!

I have one of those red eyed demons in my room too. Have you asked God to help you get a good nights sleep. If not just ask him. I know by some of your post that you have faith. My wish for you is a good nights restful sleep. Huggs to you.

That scenario so sucks when you are a working person and I rememeber it too well. Now that I'm pretty much a lady of leisure it doesn't bother me so much. Once I used to be able to make up for it by staying up late or getting up and starting early but staying up late is something from a bygone era it seems and getting up for an early start is proving harder too.

When ever I watch TV particularly in the afternoon and late evenings, I easily fall to sleep. It's not because of the programs being shown I think that made me sleepy, it's because I am just too tired from doing many activities for the day. I am an early bird and start the day by exercising.

Sounds like me most nights- Some days I wake up without getting up in the night time at all- Most nights I wake up at least once to use the bathroom- or when my daughter uses the bathroom- she thinks it is necessary to wake me and tell me she is going- : ) I’m only 34- my mom gets up several times at night to go to the bathroom- I can’t imagine getting older and having to go more- I might as well sleep on the pot- LOL

I am always waking up and the red-eyed demon calls my name. I am like, "What, I have only been asleep for 10 minutes!"...LOL...I roll over and try to go back to sleep as well, only to awake again...Finally I just get up.. I am ready to choke all of the birds in my neighborhood...

i usually go to sleep at (:30 during night. i do snore and then exactly get up around 4:30 and there is no sleep at all.i always watch the twilight during sleep. to know the time!that doesnt put you to sleep.it makes you fearful to sleep.

That is it for me as well. I just set here reading this and my head was just going up and down the whole time. What makes it worse is when you do fall asleep you dream, or I do anyway, so I know I am not sleeping deeply when I do manage to stop my brain from thinking about everything in the world. I some times wonder how surprising it is I don't have narcolepsy or something the variant of, for the lack of sleep I get, LOL.

well its very difficult to sleep in breaks.. i am lucky enough that i am able to complete sound sleep daily but soon it will be all over.. i will soon join a college doing my post graduation and they dont allow a student to sleep for more than 5 hours a day as compared to 8 hours that i sleep now a days!!!

I know the feeling. If my sleep is disrupted, it is usually by going to the toilet. Now if I was in a heavy sleep prior to this, it is likely that I will fall back to sleep quickly.
If I was sleeping more lightly, or it is after 4.00pm, the chances of me getting back to sleep quickly are minimal.